Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre has launched a new brand for the Pūkaha Rabbit Alliance Ringa Atawhai me te Ringa Ahuwhenua. The Department of Conservation (DOC) Jobs for Nature funded 3 year project works in the 3220 ha buffer zone around the reserve to control a burgeoning rabbit population, coordinating neighbours and landowners, DOC, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Horizons Regional Council.
Rabbits are the main prey of ferrets and feral cats in particular, whose numbers are being driven to record levels within the reserve, resulting in increased threat to taōnga species such as kiwi and kākā.
The programme name ‘Ringa Atawhai me te Ringa Ahuwhenua’ translates into te reo Māori as ‘conservation and farming hand in hand’. This is the sentiment of the Pūkaha Rabbit Alliance. ‘Ringa Atawhai me te Ringa Ahuwhenua’ was put forward by Manahi Paewai, kaumātua Rangitāne o Tāmaki Nui a Rua.
The visually clever logo was designed by Nectarine Design, Wairarapa-based specialists in brand and visual identity as well as design and development of educational applications, animation and websites. Rebekah Farr of Nectarine says “Negative space logos are intriguing but they’re often not a practical solution. In this case it was clear from the outset that the negative space was useful for adding another dimension to broaden what the logo communicates.”
“I researched New Zealand wildlife most affected by ferrets and stoats including photographs of birds at all stages of flight, take off, landing, walking or foraging. The shapes of kākā wings in flight gave the most opportunity to work with the negative space. The choice of pose for the rabbit was for clarity, but also steers away from cute and cuddly.”
“In the finished design, the positive space shows wildlife at play enjoying a predator free environment while the negative space ‘deletes’ the rabbit from this environment.”
Nectarine Design is a silver Partner of Pūkaha, providing a charity discount on their design services. Rebekah says “Joining Pūkaha as a Partner is a really rewarding way to support and celebrate te taiao in Wairarapa. The spectacular forest and wildlife there are protected and cared for by Pūkaha so they will continue to flourish in our future.”
Ringa Atawhai me te Ringa Ahuwhenua – Pūkaha Rabbit Alliance Programme Lead Harry Harris says “The stakeholders and neighbours involved in the project felt it was important to have a cohesive brand presence when going out into the community. We wanted to communicate the collaboration between farmers and conservation and the cultural presence and protection of the environment. Nectarine have achieved this and more in a very clever way.”
For more information, please contact Emily Court: emily@pukaha.org.nz or Phone: 027 594 2928
